MIA technical director to lead ASTM committee

CLEVELAND, OH -- The Marble Institute of America (MIA) has announced that Chuck Muehlbauer, the association's Technical Director, has been elected to chair the ASTM Committee C18 on Dimension Stone. With Muehlbauer, Michael Lewis of Facade Forensics in Cincinnati, OH, has been elected to serve as the committee's Vice Chairman; Kurt Hoigard of Raths, Raths, & Johnson, Inc. in Willowbrook, IL, has been elected to serve as the committee's Secretary. The new slate of officers will begin serving their terms on January 1, 2012.

Chuck Muehlbauer has been named Chair of the ASTM committee.

ASTM Committee C18 on Dimension Stone was formed in 1926 to promote knowledge, stimulate research and to develop specifications, methods of test, definitions and nomenclature, and recommended practices relating to dimension stone. The committee currently has a multinational membership of approximately 125 members representing 14 countries. C18 has jurisdiction of over 25 standards, published in the Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Volume 4.07. The committee has five technical subcommittees that maintain jurisdiction over these standards. These standards have and continue to play a preeminent role in all aspects important to the effective standardization of dimension stone, including testing, specifications and construction practices.

Muehlbauer started his career in the stone industry after graduating from technical college in 1981, and has been an active member of the ASTM Committee C18 on Dimension Stone since 1989. He has previously served as chairman of Subcommittee C18.08 on Stone Selection and Committee C18 Secretary. He has written and edited papers published by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), ASTM, Cold Spring Granite Co. and the Marble Institute of America.

MIA Executive Vice President and CEO Garis Distelhorst said, "Chuck's election as Chair of the ASTM C18 further solidifies the notion that the Marble Institute is a clear leader in the natural stone industry, particularly in its technical knowledge and information. His history and his reputation as one of the stone industry's most technically proficient experts, first with Cold Spring Granite Co., and for the last seven years with the MIA, earned him this opportunity to assume the leadership of this critically important ASTM Committee. The entire MIA membership is proud to call Chuck one of ours."

MIA President GK Naquin added, "Chuck's commitment to the natural stone industry and the Marble Institute of America once again has been validated through his election as committee chairman of the ASTM C18 on Dimension Stone. Chuck has made a positive difference representing our industry within ASTM. We look forward to his continued guidance as Chairman."

In the December 2016 issue, we look at some highlights of the Marmo+Mac 2016, and the new renovations of the Freemasons' Hall in London, England. We also present some new products, technology updates, machine of the month, and stone of the month.

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